Bakery Style Crumb Cake

This New York-style crumb cake is equal parts soft, moist cake and buttery crumb topping. Whip up the batter in minutes with pantry staples and bake in an 8-inch pan until golden. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, a classic anytime cake. Serve dusted with powdered sugar!

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I’ve never met a crumb-topped cake I didn’t love, and this homemade version is no exception! Super plush and buttery, the moist sour cream-based cake stands up beautifully to the generous layer of brown sugar and cinnamon crumb topping.

Sliced into wedges and dusted with powdered sugar, it’s the ideal kind of cake to snack on all day long (I love it with a mug of coffee). So simple and delicious!

Craving more crumb cake? You may also like my blueberry crumb cake or fresh peach crumb cake!

Crumb Cake vs Coffee Cake

I like to think of crumb cake as the cousin to coffee cake. Both rely on similar ingredients for richness (usually butter, sour cream, and eggs) and feature a crumb or streusel topping, like my classic sour cream coffee cake recipe.

The most notable difference between the two is that crumb cake is all about the topping and features a 1:1 ratio of crumb topping to cake. My kind of cake!

Another major difference: A classic crumb cake never contains nuts or any kind of ribbon through the batter (like a layer of streusel or swirl of cinnamon-sugar or chocolate).

Tips for Success

• Use room temperature ingredients. For the cake, bring butter, egg, sour cream, and milk to room temperature before beginning. They incorporate much more smoothly, and you’re less likely to overmix the batter.
• Don’t overmix. The cake batter is thick, so use a rubber spatula to scrape down the mixer bowl as needed to ensure that the wet and dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Bake low and slow. Dropping the oven temperature to 325°F ensures that the cake bakes through evenly and doesn’t dry out at the edges.

Step by Step: How to Make Crumb Cake

Make crumb topping: Combine all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. I like the extra molasses flavor from dark brown sugar, but you can also use light brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.

Add melted butter to the bowl and toss the mixture with a fork until fully incorporated and large crumbs form. You can also gently toss the mixture together with clean hands if you find that easier. The goal is to form crumbs, not crush or flatten the mixture. Chill topping in the refrigerator while you make the cake batter.

Make cake: Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking well to combine.

Beat room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low and mix in egg until incorporated.

Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl, stirring to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture.

The mixed batter will be thick (and able to stand up to the weight of the crumb topping).

Spoon the batter into prepared baking pan and tap the pan sharply several times to settle the batter and reduce air bubbles. Sprinkle the top evenly with all of the crumb topping.

Bake at 325°F for 44 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (no wet batter – some crumbs are ok!). Let cool completely on a wire rack before lifting from the pan and cutting into squares.

The best knife to use is a serrated knife – it slices easily through the cake without compressing the topping. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

More favorite breakfast recipes:

• Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
• Overnight Belgian-Style Yeast Waffles
• Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

Did you try this Crumb Cake Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!

Bakery Style Crumb Cake with Sour Cream

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 4 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 9 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This New York-style crumb cake is equal parts soft, moist cake and buttery crumb topping. Whip up the batter in minutes with pantry staples and bake in an 8-inch pan until golden. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, a classic anytime cake. Serve dusted with powdered sugar!

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Ingredients

Crumb Topping

• 1 1/4 cups (175 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 g) milk, at room temperature
• Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), for dusting

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and spray an 8-inch square baking pan lightly with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper.
2. Make crumb topping: Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl; add melted butter and toss mixture with a fork until incorporated and large crumbs form. Chill topping until needed.
3. Make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in egg until incorporated. Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap sharply to reduce air bubbles, then sprinkle evenly with crumb topping.
5. Bake crumb cake for 44 to 45 minutes, until crumb topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (no wet batter). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Lift parchment and place crumb cake on a cutting board. Cut into squares with a serrated knife. Store leftover crumb cake tightly covered with foil at room temperature.

Equipment

Square Baking Pan

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Stand Mixer

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Notes

Freeze crumb cake: Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and pop into a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat in a warm oven (325°F) for 15 minutes or until heated through before serving.